Mysterious, black, ball-shaped debris have now been found washed ashore at three beaches in Sydney’s east.
Randwick Council asked the public to avoid Coogee Beach — and later Gordons Bay Beach — “until further notice” after council lifeguards first discovered the potentially toxic dark spheres along the length of the beach on Tuesday afternoon.
“Randwick City Council environmental officers have collected samples for testing and reported the incident to the EPA and Beachwatch NSW,” the council said.
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More of the “unusual” debris was found at nearby Gordons Bay on Wednesday.
The spheres were also found at Maroubra Beach, the EPA confirmed, however, the beach is expected to remain open.
The “unusual” spheres were later confirmed to be phenomena or ‘tar balls’ which form when oil comes into contact with debris and water – typically the result of oil spills or seepage.
“Preliminary test results show the material is a hydrocarbon-based pollutant which is consistent with the makeup of tar balls. Hydrocarbons are the chief components of petroleum-based products,” the council said.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the scale or origin of the pollution.
Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker told 7NEWS the lengthy clean-up process was continuing with council crews now wearing protective clothing as they combed the beaches looking for the black balls.
“We’re also consulting with the NSW Environmental Protection Agency as well as occupational hygienists to make sure that the beach is clean and safe,” he said.
“As a precaution, we’ve closed the beach and we’re recommending to the public not to touch or pick up any of these balls.”
While some locals suggested swimming around them, marine scientist Lawrence Chlebeck told 7NEWS that tar balls “can be harmful to our health, both human health and the health of the environment and wildlife, potentially carcinogenic”.
Parker said the incident was “very concerning”.
“Our priority as a local council is to keep people safe and protect as far as possible our coastal and marine environment,” he said.
“We have engaged an expert occupational hygienist and a specialist waste removal contractor who are currently systematically removing the debris from the beaches in accordance with an agreed safe work method statement developed with the NSW EPA.”
That process will continue on Thursday.
Both Coogee Beach and Gordon’s Bay will remain closed as efforts to safely remove and dispose of the material continue.